[gothic-l] The Importance of Ptolemy

[Bertil Haggman]

Dear listmembers,

Ptolemy is one of the more reliable sources. But
let us go back to 16 - 18 AD when the Gothic
first appeared in Gutones. Both Latin and Greek
authors spoke of the Gutones until the middle
of the second century AD. Ptolemy was except
for the Gutones also aware of the Guti on the island
of Scandia.

On the root Gut/Gaut, "the one who pours out", it is
derived of course from the Swedish river Goeta aelv
which drains Lake Vaenern into Kattegatt. Goti could
be "men" in the sense of "seed spreaders". They
might be the sons of Gaut, the god of war, who is the
leader of warbands in Scandinavia.

Gothic tradition provides for several possible
interpretations. To select one and exclude the other
would of course be arbitrary. Note the Knysh not
substantiated claim that the root Gut/Gaut/Goet/Goti
is a purely accidental, without providing any basis
for this assumption.

Gothically

Bertil


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